Another Blow
by shana.rose
Summary: Tom's been drugged, buttons need to be resowed, fighting in the main entrance, and Larry Grey is an ass. Another exciting night at Downton it would seem. AU story on what could have happened after Tom and Sybil left the dining room in S3E1. A sequel of sorts to By Any Means.


**A/N: This fic is for The Yankee Countess, who after reading By Any Means requested I write something involving Tom, Larry, fistfights, and shirtless AND BelleLitteraire who insisted I continued By Any Means even if it meant the story became AU. So this fic is for you two wonderful ladies!**

* * *

'_Honestly I don't see why they are making such a big fuss about it.'_

They were being kicked out, **The Greys**, an up standing aristocrat family were asked to leave the house of Grantham over a grubby chauffeur.

"What were you thinking Larry? What an atrocious thing to do! How on earth did you think this would be funny?" His father hissed at him, he could tell by the redness on his cheeks that he was shamed.

Larry snorted, "Really I don't see why anyone's so bothered by it. I'm sure he would have acted like that regardless of what I put into his drink."

"Larry! You-" But his father's next words were cut off by the arrival of the footman with the coats. He quickly helped them into their coats and then announced that the car would be a round in a few minutes and walked back towards the dining room.

"He probably goes off about his bloody politics rain or sunshine. Truly I feel sorry for Sybil, living life as a pauper with a man like that. She must have to whore herself out to get _any_ kicks let alone food."

Larry looked up to see his father's outraged face. Larry prepared himself for the scorning he was about to receive when his father pointed behind him and shouted "Behind you!"

Larry yanked his head back only for a fist to hit him square in the mouth.

* * *

He felt sick to his stomach. His insides felt fuzzy and he felt humiliated. He would never live down what happened tonight. He only prayed that when morning came it would all be a blurry memory.

Tom could feel his wife's fingers clutching his arm, desperately trying to pull him closer. He closed his eyes and took a breath trying_,_ _failing_, to bury his feelings when he heard voices. Larry Grey's voice to be exact.

"_Really I don't think see why anyone's so bothered by it. I'm sure he would have acted like that regardless of what I put into his drink."_

Tom could feel Sybil stiff at this as she clutched him that much tighter. He gritted his teeth as they walked, staring intently at the end of hallway.

"_He probably goes off about his bloody politics rain or sunshine."_

They continued walking.

"_I actually feel sorry for Sybil, living life as a pauper with a man like that. She must have to whore herself out_ _to get any kicks let alone food."_

Tom faintly heard Sybil's gasped as he replayed the words in his head. _She must have to whore herself out to get any kicks let alone food. _

Tom ripped himself away from his wife's grasp striding purposely toward the Greys.

_She must have to whore herself out. _

Tom clenched his fists.

_Whore herself out._

Tom drew his fist back right as Lord Grey saw him.

* * *

The sound of his fist hitting the bastard's face felt like justice incarnated.

Larry stumbled back. He reached up and touched the corner of his mouth with his thumb and gritting his teeth at the pain. He looked up at the Irishman, his fist clench, shoulders back, head held high and overall tense and let out a chuckle before throwing himself at him.

Larry threw a punch hitting Tom's chin. Tom pulled back and hit him in the eye. Larry grabbed him by the shirt ripping out some of the buttons on Tom's shirt as he hit him across the face. Tom grabbed the hand on his shirt and twisted Larry's hand back until he heard a crunch sound. Larry screamed in pain shuffled back pulling both of them to the ground.

Tom, growing up with multiple brothers who got into pub fights in Dublin because on a regular basis, was the first to react. He pushed himself up, one hand using the floor the other using Larry's wrist and sat above Larry as he rained punches across his face until he heard Sybil scream "STOP IT!"

Not being one to lose, Larry used this moment of hesitation to grab Tom's tie forward and strangle him and yanked him off of him. Larry having turned the tables on him and began punching everywhere within his grasp.

"STOP IT! I SAID STOP IT! BOTH OF YOU! STOP IT!" Sybil screamed in vain.

Larry's father finally having broken out of his stunned state tried to pull his son off but unfortunately picked the wrong moment and ended up on the floor after being elbowed in the groin.

Tom still pinned to the ground let Larry hit him a few times. After a few hits Tom finally got a hold of the rhythm of his punches and grabbed Larry's fist in mid-air using the shock to throw him off.

Hearing the commotion from the dining room Mr. Carson Alfred, and the rest of the family came into the main entrance.

The two continued to struggle, hitting and punching as they rolled and wrestled their way through the main entrance. Tom throwing punches left and right every chance he could and Larry using his good hand to try and smash Tom's head against the floor while the bad one held on to Tom by grabbing on to his waistcoat tugging the buttons off as they tumbled around the room.

Having enough Mr. Carson and Alfred pried the two men apart holding them back.

"Enough!" Shouted Lord Grantham, eyeing both men with distain. One with bruise all over his face the other with his tie lying on the floor and his shirt busted open.

Tom took a deep breath and quietly said "Let go of me Mr. Carson I'll not hit him again."

Carson slowly, hesitantly, released Tom from his hold.

Tom wiped a bit of blood from his mouth and stood tall as he steely stared down Larry Grey. He took another breath and pointed his finger at Larry and spat out, "If you ever talk about my wife like that again you'll end up with more than a bruise face _milord_."

He then reached down and grabbed his tie and sluggishly walked away.

* * *

Tom's head was spinning as he grabbed the first thing he could, holding himself up the best he could.

He felt a light touch on his elbow. He looked up and hazily saw Sybil, beautiful daring Sybil.

She gave him a weak smile and pulled his arm around her shoulders. He tried to pull away worried that he would put too much weight on her and the baby but as always Sybil insisted to have her way and grabbed his waist pulling him snug against her.

And this time he didn't fight her.

* * *

He vaguely sees the stairs as he climbs them one step at a time slowly but surely.

Before Tom knows it, they're back in their room. Well, the room they were given at Downton.

Sybil helps him onto the bed pushing off his suit jacket and untying his shoes. Lifting each leg onto the bed and pushing his shoulder's gently towards the wall so his back is lying against the pillow.

Sybil looms over him, moving his shirt to the side as she gently runs her fingers across his chest feeling for any serious injuries.

He hisses as she reaches his face and touches the corner of his mouth.

"Sorry," she says flatly.

"It's all right," he answers back just as flatly.

Sybil finishes her survey of his face when her fingers go down and linger across his shoulder. She stares at his shoulder as she quietly asks, "Why did you do it? Why… did you hit him?"

Tom sighs. Not ready to look at her quite in the eye yet either, he reaches over and plays with her necklace.

Finally he answers her. His voice barely above a whisper, "Because I couldn't stand it; the idea that he thought- that all those Lords and Ladies you used to know- that _everyone_ thinks that I can't provide for you. Which I can't."

He laughed bitterly and before Sybil can object he continues. "No, don't. We both know it's true. Right now we're living off your dowry."

He sighed again and untangled his fingers from her hair and run them through his own. "I know that he was speaking nonsense and that… well I know that most people know you wouldn't but-" He voice broke.

"The thought that you would have to degrade yourself like that because of me… because you chose me…"

She was looking at him now but he still couldn't look her in the eye. Sybil ran her hand gently up his neck and cupped his face in her hand. He placed his other hand other her and weakly smiled.

She smiled back, leaning over and grazing his lips with her own. Her eyes staring lovingly back into his own, her lips a hair's breath away.

"It will never come to that Tom. You know that. I have faith in you, I have faith in _us_. We're just hit a rough patch is all. So what if we have to live off my dowry for a little while? Since the day I met you I knew you special, that you would make a difference in this world and I have never doubted that for one moment. Everything has its ups and downs in life Tom but what goes down must surely go up again right?"

Tom smiled the first proper smile in what felt like years. He kissed the base of her palm and said, "What would I ever do without you my love?"

Sybil leaned back as she laughed, "Well you'd probably eat nothing but butter and toast for a start."

He chuckled, "I don't have enough time to make much else."

She giggled and swiftly kissed him on the lips before getting up and taking off her jewelry. He watched as Sybil stood to the side of the mirror as she took off her dress. He could see her hands roll down her stockings through the mirror.

He watched her until his eye grew weary and as his eyes closed he said, "I love you."

* * *

**A/N: Hope you guys liked it, I've never written a fight scene before so here's hoping I did an okay job on it. :P**

**(Oh and if you have a moment please review!)**


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